Please or to access all these features

Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

SW/W London Independent Schools thread part two

629 replies

Chillaxalready · 09/02/2015 20:09

There. I've done it and started one.
1001 messages and counting!

OP posts:
Chillaxalready · 17/03/2015 22:32

bunny you heard correctly about WHS. In fact there were so many acceptances they wrote to us to say that there are going to be additional Year 7 classes this september!!! So much for the smallish cohort we were expecting!

OP posts:
Beingfrank · 17/03/2015 20:35

It's not necessarily all over yet though. Tiffin will still be working on its waiting list this week which may have a knock on effect. Also, there can always be late movement when someone relocates abroad - my daughter got a w/l offer in June because of that.

BTW I know of someone who did get a w/l offer from WHS this year, so there was a smidgin of movement at least! I don't know about Latymer as we let our place on the reserve list go so didnt keep in touch.

wheresthebeach · 17/03/2015 20:15

I agree it's a bit of an anti-climax...but maybe that's waiting list life for you.

I understand Ibstock, WHS and Latymer didn't go to waitlist.

Emanuel offered 2 off waitlist.

It was a tough year.

Yes please can we start a Yr 7 settling in thread!

Kuppenbender · 17/03/2015 17:57

'And finally...speaking of anti-climax, when after all that toil and overthinking it, shouldn't there be a celebratory band playing when you arrive with your deposit? And senior leadership reception line clapping and whooping, high fives all round kind of thing? Rather than just a "great, I'll need to photocopy x"....'

I didn't quite get the band, but by inadvertently timing my arrival when all the reception desk staff were at a meeting, I was buzzed in by the Head. He escorted me to the Admissions office to check I'd brought all the right stuff. Lots of handshaking, thank yous and congratulations. Hugs would have been inappropriate, so I resisted the urge.

castlesintheair · 17/03/2015 16:46

said thread

castlesintheair · 17/03/2015 16:35

Good luck to anyone still waiting and those doing it again next year or the one after, I salute you! And thanks for the support in my lonely quest. I don't have much of an update at the moment (other than having no school for next year Grin), but when I do, I will let you know.

DarkBlueEyes there was a thread about children being asked to leave Claremont a couple of weeks ago. I will see if I can find it.

Chocfinger · 17/03/2015 14:54

Lovely you are all still there. Turned down state place too Tedtess with an OMG am I crazy?! It would have guaranteed sibling entry! Will not relax until I know dd is happily settled in say...November!

Castles thinking of you and your DD - really hope it's one of those "terrible at the time but didn't things turn out for the best" kind of stories!
Already drawing up list for DD2, perhaps I had better register her too! Can't bear the thought of doing this again with a more...unpredictable child. Honestly will be either or both the size of a hippo/alcoholic after another year of chocolate stuffing downed by wine!
Called LEH where DD on waitlist. Basically it's not going to happen with the never say never caveat- so flippin close but yet so far! DD still slightly gutted, said but mummy that's probly the difference of TWO questions!!! Ahhhh!NOOOOoooooo. Whimper, whimper.

Out of interest did Godolphin go to waitlist?

And finally...speaking of anti-climax, when after all that toil and overthinking it, shouldn't there be a celebratory band playing when you arrive with your deposit? And senior leadership reception line clapping and whooping, high fives all round kind of thing? Rather than just a "great, I'll need to photocopy x"....

GJHmum1 · 17/03/2015 13:24

I don't think Latymer went to waiting list either...

bunny123 · 17/03/2015 12:06

well done everyone for getting through this process. I read somewhere that Wimbledon High didn't even use their wait list in the end, is this still true?

DarkBlueEyes · 17/03/2015 09:52

Castles what was this about Claremont? I have a friend at St George's (moved in year 5) and her DD was at risk but bless her did brilliantly. Other junior school kids did not make it through to senior....

And Castles could you bear to give us an update? I'd love to know where you are at.

My DD ended up with Putney and Notting Hill and Ealing offers after we had paid the cheque to Surbiton! So proud of her and to be honest, more than a little surprised.... Shock she got 4 out of 5 offers! (eventually....) DD2 is quite another story - very underwhelming parents evening last night (Yr 3) so I'm stressing already....

Yes please can we have a First Day and Support for Year 7 in SW London Independent Schools thread?

The one where we all look to see who's wearing a leopard print garment of some sort and we pop over and ask if they've read anything interesting on the internet lately..... Grin

wheresthebeach · 16/03/2015 23:23

Do we need to reconvene with a new heading of some sort? Create a little, ongoing, support group?
Castles...we are thinking of you Flowers

TeddTess · 16/03/2015 11:19

yes - 20% of the prep didn't get places in the secondary or something. i mean you'd think prep to senior was a pretty sure bet at claremont. i'd be furious.

castlesintheair · 16/03/2015 11:13

AnotherNewt, not wait list just trying to decide what to do generally.

And yes I agree, that is clear evidence of the process getting very out of hand! Did any of you see a post recently about DC being asked to leave Claremont pre year 7? Crazy!

TeddTess · 16/03/2015 11:08

ok that is all the confirmation we need that this process TRULY HAS GONE MAD.

AnotherNewt · 16/03/2015 11:06

castlesintheair you're not alone! Are you in wait list limbo still?

And for any gentle readers who are going through this again next year (or who are lurking because they'll be tackling it for the first time then), you might like to be aware of what has appeared on Emanuel's website for 11+ entry 2016:

"Please note: We cap registrations for 11+ at 600 and are already nearing that figure for 2016 entry and early registration is strongly recommended. Once the cap is reached we will operate a waiting list.

"We appreciate that some parents may wish to look around the school on our Open Afternoon on 28th April, 2015. This may, though, be after the cap has been reached. We can therefore advise that if parents wish to register first and then look at the school on 28th April, that is, of course, fine. If any parent who registers between now and 28th April then wishes to withdraw their registration thereafter we would be happy to reimburse the registration fee."

castlesintheair · 16/03/2015 11:06

Ah thanks TT Smile I really don't know what we are doing. It's all a bit tricky.

TeddTess · 16/03/2015 10:58

are you coming back castles? we're still here if you want to chat or wail!

castlesintheair · 16/03/2015 10:55

I'm missing it too but even more so as I'm still going through the whole fiasco. Alone.

TeddTess · 16/03/2015 10:34

me too... have just logged into eadmissions and declined waldegrave offer.

am i completely fricking crazy?

feel slightly sick.........

so who is going to be back here in Jan 2017?
or even for KGS 10+ Jan 2016...

GJHmum1 · 15/03/2015 21:55

I miss it too! Hellish as the whole process was, it's a bit of an anticlimax now!!

Nowfeeltheneedtopost · 15/03/2015 21:12

I'm not sure it will be any consolation but I'm in SW London with a y3 DD and I've found this thread a real insight into where we might be in a couple of years. I've been delighted to see how supportive you've all been of one another and your DC. I think this thread is a great advert for what mumsnet and its members can be!

wheresthebeach · 15/03/2015 21:02

I'm grieving...

DarkBlueEyes · 15/03/2015 19:48

I can't believe this thread could be all over sobs Hmm

Pop1ns · 07/03/2015 19:43

Thank u emptycoffeepot

emptycoffeepot · 07/03/2015 18:15

... And didn't mean to imply that Tiffin's pastoral care was bad. Smile It is a great school. Wouldn't have had DS do the test if we didn't think so. We know of children there who are having/have had excellent time. Very stimulating, lots of things to do, fast paced, music strong, excellent teaching. Everything you could ask for in a school.